It would be easy for a Major League Rugby (MLR) entity to focus efforts on its feeder systems, but it’s been interesting to learn about the organizations making deeper connections in their local communities, specifically with girls and women’s rugby. The New England Free Jacks, for example, competed in the first-ever MLR girls’ academy games this summer and launched its adult (“Independents”) programming, which also culminated in a 15s match this year. As more activity returns while the MLR regroups for next season, it’s becoming more apparent which organizations are developing more of a “whole club” feel.
The Free Jacks Academy is a National Development Program, and so its U19 programming (“Junior Jacks”) has been active since last summer (Read more: Free Jacks Academy Engages New England). Covid-19 impacted the rollout of the NDP’s initiatives but the academy did assemble for training sessions throughout the school year. The spring saw high school league seasons resume, albeit with Covid-19 modifications.
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) oversees high school rugby, making it an official varsity sport in the state. The MIAA was charged with shaping a competitive spring season and took input from the girls’ coaches, all of whom advocated for 7s in the name of safety, rebuilding experience, and accounting for lower numbers. The MIAA opted instead for 15s with Covid-19 modifications as the sanctioned style of play for the spring.
“For me, that felt unfortunate because all of the coaches of girls’ teams, myself included, wanted to play 7s competitively,” said Belmont High School coach Kate McCabe, who is also a volunteer head coach for the Junior Jacks girls’ team. “But that’s not the way they voted. It was a little unfortunate because the coaches knew some programs wouldn’t be able to play competitive 15s this spring, and we were right.”
Teams with lower numbers had to forfeit their entire season; however, the league coaches all got together and agreed to play 7s games outside of the competition committee.
“Five teams were able to participate, but what was really exciting is that because we were playing 7s, we were able to welcome a couple of growing programs in the midst of all this,” McCabe called out St. Mary’s High School and Brookline High School. “As a result every kid in every program walked away with games that meant something to them, and nobody was made to feel like they weren’t playing or that they abandoned their season.”
@NEFreeJacks Facebook photo
The coaches created a season-end 7s tournament with pool play and playoffs – no state championship, per se. It ended with a big collective picture and pizza, and felt like a real return to rugby.
“The season was, from an administrative standpoint, maybe a disappointment,” McCabe said. “But from a rugby standpoint, it was tremendous to see that adults did everything they could to do something for the players, and to make sure it was a safe experience.”
The Free Jacks Academy picked up where the high school coaches left off, and set up a home-and-away series with the Old Glory Academy in D.C.
“I was so thrilled that the Free Jacks jumped on that opportunity to do something – especially for kids in New England who just saw a very different spring season evolve,” McCabe said. “It was cool. In 2019 I coached the [Regional Cup Tournament] Massachusetts side so when this opportunity came up, it felt reminiscent of the vibe of a select side team but with the support from a pro rugby team.”
The Junior Jacks had three weeks to assemble and train before heading south to D.C. for the July 10 fixture, and McCabe was really pleased to see that 26 players signed on for the girls’ team. She was even more impressed to see how involved Free Jacks players like Lubabalo Tera Mtembu and Justin Johnson as well as MLR head coach Ryan Martin were in structuring and running practices. McCabe was also involved with planning and selections and served as head coach on game day, but credited Tom Kindley, Ollie Engelhart and the Free Jacks with the coordination and organization of the whole endeavor.
@NEFreeJacks Facebook photo
“I was so impressed with the amount of oversight that the actual coaches and players had,” McCabe said. “For the high school girls, they deeply appreciated that all things were equal for the girls and boys.”
Eighteen of the 26 players were able to travel to the July 10 game in D.C., and they ranged from four-year seniors to freshmen who had only played spring 7s.
“One good thing about touring in general, all teammates get together and focus on rugby and feel that energy,” McCabe said of team bonding. “Spirits were so high that first weekend. The bus ride down was nine hours long. We had a team dinner and jersey ceremony. And then when we got to the field the next day, the kids were really tuned in.”
The 15s game occurred in Old Glory’s Segra Field in Leesburg, Va., and was a curtain-raiser to the San Diego Legion match.
“In the very beginning, our system was all over the place and the kids were confused,” McCabe reflected on what was essentially four 15-minute quarters. “They were figuring out how to play against a really hard-running D.C. side that rucks extremely well, but by halftime, they had hit their stride and were working so well together and offloading. It was a game that consistently got better as the day went on.”
Skylar Jordan stood out. The New England native had trained with the Junior Jacks in the summer and fall before relocating to the Rhinos Rugby Academy in San Clemente, Calif., where she’s a full-time resident. She traveled back East to participate in the first-ever MLR academy match.
Photo: Paris Malone/Old Glory DC
“She’s the type of player who looks for work at all times,” McCabe said. “Next to Skylar, there were two Belmont seniors who were consistent for both weekends: Becca Anderson and Natalie Hill. They’re forwards for our club but were forced to float between the forwards and backs. They organized everyone so effectively.”
The Junior Jacks brought home a 19-7 win, and the boys also won their match in D.C. Old Glory then traveled to Boston for a July 18 rematch. The game was a curtain-raiser for the Free Jacks vs. Atlanta game, which marked the end of the regular season but also the first week in the team’s new home: Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy, Mass.
“The kids were so excited to be in such a cool environment,” McCabe said. “The day was a grand cap to the full MLR season, and the boys’ and girls’ games were the first part of it. By the end of the kids’ match, the Free Jacks players in the stadium warming up and the non-playing injured players in the stands were high-fiving the girls when they went off the field. That’s such a cool environment. I have a deep appreciation for a club that really values highlighting the youth experience.”
There was a different roster for the second game, providing insight into more players.
@NEFreeJacks Facebook photo
“Ashleigh Torres Brown from Greenwich, Connecticut – she’s a spitfire,” McCabe said. “She carried so well. She just saw the gap and ran for it. Fierce tackler, too. A joy to watch.”
McCabe also called out Julia Armond, who was without a club this season. Armond’s been seeking opportunities to play and went as far as Little Rock, Ark., to participate in the Falcon 7s at ARPTC. She heard about the MLR academy matches and brought with her a powerful running game and good attitude.
Old Glory won the rematch 33-0, and that fixture marked the end of the academy season but not the Free Jacks’ on-going involvement in the region. When the Boston Belles decided to revive for the USA Club 7s National Championship, part of that conversation was made easier due to players’ involvement with the Independents, which had been active all spring. To boot, Engelhart signed on as head coach for the trip Tukwila, Wash.
“Yes, there’s a professional team at the helm of the organization, but the Free Jacks are trying to create a full-club feel,” McCabe said. “For the U19 girls, this [two-game series] came together really fast, so maybe it’s a little hard for them to put that meaning all together right now, but they see the importance of the women’s game with the Free Jacks’ work with the Independents. It’s a big commitment from the organization to be growing the game in a way that is equally represented by both men’s and women’s development.”
McCabe is hoping to stay involved in the Junior Jacks system, and indicated that the fall brings the Northeast Academy and 7s back into the forefront. Overall, she described a lot of enthusiasm in the planning for the 2021-22 rugby year, and that summer 2022 should bring even more opportunities to play.